DODGERS Grade the Nerds

Now that it's pretty much over, flat B grade from me.
#1 thing I wanted was for the cursed Yankee POS manager to be outta there, and even better they backed it up with a really nice hire.
From the day that 32yo Lester signed to CHI for all that $$$, with Greinke reportedly watching with major interest in his deal, I felt ZG was gone after the season so zero overreaction/penalty there from me.
Definitely wanted Price to replace him in the rotation, but that was greed driven and a lesser priority, it's pretty much been proven over recent years that you don't need more than 1 ace to win it all in this power-sapped era, so we're still in good position staff-wise with the additions they've made and the young arms on the doorstep.
The Chapman debacle stung me a bit, the way it fell apart, but that move wasn't necessary either, just need Hatcher and Avilan to pick up where they left off.

#2 for me was to spruce up the " October offense ", where they'll undoubtedly see a ton of high-powered arms.
Wanted them to add at least 1 impact bat that can consistently get around and thump 95+MPH and they failed to do that.
Above all else, regarding player personnel and above even Heyward, I wanted Alex Gordon on this team and to be that bat.
Felt it was reasonable enough from the cost and that he would've been the perfect fit at the very top of the lineup as a leadoff guy that's able to mash 95+ on a consistent basis and work his way on base.
Of course it would've taken like 100-120MM to sign him because they also would've had to send money out in an effort to deal Ethier and CC to open up LF, but whatever he could've helped at 1B and 3B in spots as well.
Not signing Alex Gordon put them in the C grade area for me, but they came out of the C grade area when they ended up bringing Howie back, one of the few that can handle 95+MPH.

Enjoyed seeing most of the depth moves that they made, points for passing on Frazier and netting Trayce and company, anytime you go from Heisey to Trayce Thompson - excellent.
Cool with Utley being back, some guys just have the look of an instant manager post-retirement and Utley does, good with keeping him around stalking the clubhouse.
Points for adding Maddux and Ibanez as advisers, both should have an indelible impact, Ibanez highly thought of around MLB and Cuban, and the professor doing what he does.
Points for adding Cruz and Alex Anthopolous to the FO.
Super points for getting Puig into camp at a reasonable weight, 240 right now, if he stays healthy maybe he could be down to 230 by the end of the season, and so maybe he'll finally prove himself beyond the 100 game mark.
Still a 90+ win team, should finish around 10 games ahead of a 3rd place DBacks team.

 

Yeah, I mean I understand what he's saying and I don't necessarily disagree with it; but we've seen a handful of organizations around the league publicly state that they don't want to go the route that the Phillies and Yankees are currently in. If a world series is guaranteed, then of course you go for it, but it's not. It's not that simple. There's absolutely no way the Dbacks sniff the division title. There's not even a great chance they make one of the wild card spots either with two better teams ahead of them in the division as well as the NL Central teams. What I was trying to explain to BZ is that the Miller and Segura trades downgraded the team, taking away most of the value they gained by adding Greinke. I think they'll be a decent team, but 85 wins max would be a good year for them.

 

With these " ifs " already hittin so hard allow me to inject more of an absolute POV with the following...the Arizona Diamondbacks are not winning the World Series with that group.

Don't wanna compare them to the Padres, but when you make as many shitty moves as they did it's probably a fair comparison. You would've thought Preller took over.

 

This as well. Winning the offseason (even though their other moves were garbage), doesn't always equate to winning.

I'll give the Giants credit for shoring up their rotation, but so did we and for less risk. Shark was awful last year (won't be that bad this year), and Cueto has had elbow issues the last few years. Kazmir and Maeda look like solid, low-risk, mid to high reward type guys. Not to mention Ryu coming back. Also, I guarantee Alex Wood is a better pitcher this year, especially if he cleaned up those mechanics.

 

Yeah the DBacks definitely did not " win " the off-season, Cubs won this off-season and it's not close.
DBacks may have had among the most headlines, or rather the most mindless activity. Lol
Greinke will obviously help out, but he'll also help the Dodgers...thanks for keeping ZG away from the Giants, fellas

 

True that...



and we can still whizz in their pool when we clinch this year

 

Meh..seems like everybody focused on AZ...what does it matter if we do finish double digits ahead AZ, but behind SF...? That Greinke didn't get AZ to the off season or championship?That matters so much?
And what if we do go to the post, and end up like the mangy, tail -between -our -legs curs like we always are?
We wanted Simmons, obviously wanted Greinke, wanted Chapman, wanted Price, think we wanted Cueto (?), didn't get Maddon, wanted Fernandez, watched players like Heywood and Gordon and other offensive possibilities go elsewhere, shelled out big bucks to Cuban "phenoms" and on and on, etc. This deserves high grades?
And supposed to be gobsmacked by a older Japanese guy who may not make the 5 day transition, Kazmir who may be fine, but was only an alternative, let's face it; and the remainder of a staff that could all crash and burn, to a man, based all on previous injuries, not fate, mind you.
Yeah, it's a good thing we do have the famous, highly-touted depth. We may need it big time.
If it all works, they'll be geniuses...but not because they didn't pay Greinke X $, because they spent that and more on untried and other players.
If it all stays the relentless, boring same as always...is there a grade lower than F?
I move them up to F+ for getting rid of Mattingly.
Oh. And A+ for having suit depth.

 

And if the Dodgers finish ahead of both the D-Cracks and Sfags...you will lead the chorus of "it don't mean nothing without a ring", even though they paid through the nose for less of a return.

And if the Dodgers had bought every free agent available and still failed to bring home the chrome you would curse the FO and blame Dave Roberts for being a rookie manager and not knowing how to win.

Again, we didn't win with Grienke. Price isn't any better. You want to worship Cueto as your God? Go right ahead.

 

Kenta Maeda is younger than Ryu, more accurately he's 27yrs old.
Aside from that, wonder how many fans could actually name the Royals' starting staff from a year ago.
Spot them Cueto, who they didn't even have before the deadline, and then uhhhhhhhh Lol
If Maeda is anything like Ryu, he's a playoff starter and perhaps over Kazmir...this is " get to know your Dodgers day "

 

Not to get in the middle of your bickering but..

Dodgers do get a + for wasting Mattingly
SP's #3 thru #5 'may' be better

But if we don't get a ring then NONE of this matters.

I don't care about the D'bags but I do care about the SFags and they need to lose

Rookie Roberts will have to earn his own stripes and those are only measured in playoff wins... we'll see


I'm on record with a C- I think and will stand there until later moves warrant a change.
Let's see any one of these international signings earn a few W's and then we can stop grousing about losing Greinke

 

I think people seem to forget that the Dodgers were never that close to winning a World Series with Greinke in the rotation.

 

Hey, some old fart already said that a couple of times...

 

There's always going to be THAT person or two.

 

What do you mean by " this "?...having a self-sufficient organization that's in the thick of the WS chase every year?
I mean that's ultimately what they've built.
Lol We haven't had this in so long that people have actually forgotten that this is how the Dodgers actually used to bring home the WS trophy.

What you said there always gets said during this Guggenheim era, but then the very next spring you guys have just as much hope as you had the year before.
Here's an example of true suffering and " nothin matters "...become a Indians' fan and walk into every year knowing you have no hope.

 

In this case, it should serve to remind every jack ass who said "sign X, sign Y, and sign Z - no matter the cost cause we've got plenty of dough AND THEN go out and trade for A cause we got tons of prospects' that THAT is exactly what they said they wouldn't do. Sooooo...why does everyone want to blame them for not doing what they said they would not do? Why did everyone expect them to do what they said they wouldn't? Why give them a failing grade for living up to their word? Enquiring minds want to know.

 

Fuckin' .

 

Worship Cueto as a God? The booger eating freak disgusts me...but did they want him and get him?
Y'know the more you respond and try to belittle posters with your sophmoric spin, the more Jerry was right about you back on whatever the fuck you were on. You always get personal. You're incapable of not doing so.
Because you feel obligated when people don't think like you.
Now it's worshipping Cueto? Phew... WTF are you talking about, man?
Yeah, OK..he's my God.
And, the only reason Roberts is a rookie manager, or anyone else if they were sitting there now, is because your FO Gods wasted a year with Donnie when they could have had way better. Anypne. But didn't make the move.
I guess they weren't full blown geniuses yet.

 

I wonder why they offered him what they did then?